Jardín Botánico Nacional de Viña del Mar

The Jardín Botánico Nacional de Viña del Mar is a botanical garden on Chile's coast spanning more than 395 hectares. It holds native shrublands and forests along with plant collections from all regions of Chile, arranged in organized areas throughout the grounds.

The site emerged in the mid-20th century after industrial activity ended there. It then became a state-managed institution focused on researching and displaying Chile's plant heritage.

The place demonstrates how people connect with native plants and learn to value the natural world around them. You can see how habitats from different parts of Chile are displayed side by side, showing how plants shape the character of a landscape.

Wear sturdy shoes since the grounds have pathways of varying difficulty and some areas are steep. Plan enough time to explore the different zones and follow signage to make sure you see the various habitats without missing key areas.

The grounds once sheltered a tree species that no longer exists in the wild on Easter Island. This collection represents a remarkable conservation case, as scientists preserved these rare specimens when they vanished from nature.